Thirty Nine

Last year on my 38th Birthday I wrote a list of things that were part of what makes me, me (if you see what I mean). It was actually a really interesting excercise (for me) and I’ve since used this with young people (their lists NOT mine) in helping them to look at some of the unique things about them. Anyhow as it’s my birthday today I reckoned it was due an update …..
The revised list with the new entry is below. Shalom and Birthday Cake 🙂

1. I was told by the teacher I didn’t have ‘a snowball’s chance in hell’ of passing my physics A-Level! (he was right)
2. I don’t have a TV
3. I wanted to be a Pilot for most of my teenage years
4. My oldest boy has Cerebral Palsy and I consider him one of my heroes
5. I once crashed a car by skidding on gravel, Ironically I was listening to ‘Going out in a Blaze of Glory’ and crashed into the ‘Caution loose surface’ sign
6. I can ride a unicycle and juggle (not however at the same time)
7. I’ve been learning German from a book called ‘German in Three Months’ for the last 14 years
8. I played ‘Bottom’ in ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’
9. If there was a group of teenagers and a group of adults I’d most likely be talking to the teenagers
10. I have three Children
11. I laugh often and loudly
12. I have about 1000 books including a great CS Lewis and GK Chesterton Collection
13. I REALLY wanted a skateboard when I was a boy, I got my first one at 34
14. I can’t read ‘I’ll love you forever‘ to my children because I end up crying
15. I like listening to Meatloaf LOUD
16. I was very immature as a teenager, a late developer
17. Joanna and I have been married for 15 years
18. I love long distance cycle challenges and have completed the ‘Salisbury 100 (miles)’ twice, both times in less than eight hours
19. I can’t iron shirts (they end up with more creases in afterwards)
20. I love single malt whisky (and of those I love Talisker the most)
21. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the amount of pain in the world
22. Joanna and I went to a Bible School in Austria
23. I am a passionate skier and miss going SO much
24. I broke my arm when I was six by jumping off the top of a climbing frame (but for some reason I told people I fell)
25. Christianity is my life and my hope, my struggle and my meaning
26. I have been knocked off my bike by cars 5 times, twice by hit and run drivers
27. I can’t sing!
28. Bruce Cockburn’s lyrics and music have had a huge impact on me
29. I am an extrovert
30. My Spiritual journey has also involved un-learning a lot of what I was taught
31. I haven’t really had a nickname. A teacher as school called me ‘McDafty’ which I hated, a bunch of teenagers on a camp once affectionately called me ‘Preacherman’ which I loved. I was also reminded by a dear friend that I was referred to as Dangermouse for a while!
32. My biggest regret is how poorly I lived out my faith during my teenage years
33. I feel closer to God in the mountains, for me that’s a ‘thin place‘
34. I am still friends with my previous girlfriends (these pre-date my marriage!)
35. I don’t like films with sad endings
36. I get really wound up by able bodied people parking in ‘disabled bays’
37. My favourite place in the world is Ramsau in Austria
38. Greenbelt Festival is one of the highlights of my year. The creativity, music, discussion and Christian community is for me a slice of heaven.
39. I’m 39 years old